Schumacher poised to make history

MICHAEL SCHUMACHER may be tantalisingly close to a historic sixth drivers' crown but a nightmare scenario will dominate the thoughts of his Ferrari bosses before the title decider.

The German needs just one point from the Japanese Grand Prix on Sunday week to clinch a sixth championship success even if McLaren's Kimi Raikkonen wins the race at Suzuka.

But with the celebrations of his crucial victory in yesterday's United States Grand Prix in full swing, the memory of Nigel Mansell's bitter experience when seemingly set for title glory in 1986 was already looming large in the mind of technical director Ross Brawn.